no reserve auction ended early

[kalacrew]

It seems sellers can end a "NO RESERVE" auction early for whatever reason, assuming its that the bids were too low and relist them the next day without any recrimination from evilbay, is this auction site sooo toothless that we have to be continually whipped by fraudulent sellers, GET YOR ACT TOGETHER EBAY!! YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY AUCTION SITE OUT THERE, GUTLESS!!

[*crikey*mate*]

ummm, hello

I agree it's really frustrating when that happens, eh?

The thing is that it is Australian Law that allows a person to remove things from sale right up until the moment the auction finishes or someone confirms a BIN. eBay actually temper this a little bit with their policy that this can't be done in the last 12 hours.

The law says that an offer can be rejected at any time prior to acceptance.

For online trading,

the ad is an invitation to make an offer

the buyer then makes their bid which is the offer.

By ending the item early or cancelling bids, this is the seller rejecting that offer.

Acceptance of the offer occurs at the time the auction finishes.

So none of this is eBay's doing, nor is it a case of a fraudulent seller.

It's how contract formation and australian law works,.

Fingercs crossed that the next auction you are interested in has an outcome that's better for you.

[artinvestaustralia]

Why is it that eBay has not accepted the possibility of a 'reserve' on the items sold in that auction format, like in many countries and in 'live' auctions? 

[artinvestaustralia]

The seller should have had the courtesy of telling you in advance of his intentions with a quick email, that is what I attempt to do every time an auction look like it is going to have me suffer a too big a loss (eBay don't care, they always win, themselves, more or less...)

[*crikey*mate*]

Ending Your Listing Early

[phorum_junkie*]

A seller is doing nothing wrong ending a listing early, if they were ebay wouldn't allow them to, they actually cannot end it once there are only 12 hours to go but they can cancel bids right up to the end.

There are no reserves because buyers don't like them and back in the UK when reserves were allowed the first piece of advice sellers were given if they came to the boards complaining about not getting bids was to remove the reserve. The most successful sellers actually made a point of saying there were no reserves. Eventually the ability to have a reserve was restricted to items starting at a price of over £50.

When listing fees were charged on everything bases on the starting price some sellers thought starting low and having a reserve was the way to go however now that listings are virtually free it makes no difference if you start your item at the minimum you will let it go for which is effectively your reserve.

[artinvestaustralia]

We should have the choice offered to us, i.e. selling WITH or WITHOUT a reserve price, it shopuld be OUR decision if eBay showed some respect to the clients we are, that is...

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

what I fail to understand in all this is that if a seller has a minimum amount that they will sell an item for then why would they start it at a lower price?  I understand the stuff about 99c start to try and entice bids, but why on earth would you start an item that you want to get $100 for at 99c? The risk is just too great.

I mean, eBay DO allow you to set your own starting price, so set the starting price at your reserve amount.  That way if it only gets one bid it sells for the reserve, any more bidding will go above the reserve.  Maybe I'm missing something with this simple logic

[davewil1964]

Obviously too simple for some, Sir

[artinvestaustralia]

Amongst many reasons, there is 'that' mathematic reason:

You only need TWO bidders who want to acquire an item to be 'in business' when selling in the auction format...

Too many eBayers who sell at a 'fixed price' INFLATE the asking price and have to relist the item to no end, I NEVER BUY AN ITEM AT A FIXED PRICE MYSELF, I WANT TO LOOK AT IT, SEE IT, FEEL IT BEFORE I WOULD EVEN CONSIDER PAYING WHAT THE SELLER WANTS FOR IT... The vocation of eBay IS the 'auction' format, they do not seem to realize it (They are trying to emulate Amazon by manipulating everything -us sellers in particular, refer tax on postage,demening if not free postage, etc...- to achieve their goal: IT WILL NOT WORK, THEY WILL END UP ON THEIR FACE...